1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image filing system; more particularly, it relates to an image filing system for digitizing an image such as a blood cell taken in by means of a microscope and filing the image with attribute information.
2. Description of the Related Arts
Generally, a method often referred to as "microscopy" is employed for inspection of blood cells. This is a method in which a blood, as an object of inspection, is mounted on a slide glass and is inspected by eye observation of the blood through a microscope.
This inspection generally involves differentiating and counting leukocytes, which are present in a prescribed region, by means of a differential counter. When an operator finds an erythrocyte or platelet having an abnormal shape during the differential counting work, the operator captures the image of the abnormal cell by means of a video camera or the like mounted on the microscope. The operator then files the image into a database of an image filing system together with an attribute information of the object of inspection, such as the card number, name, age, sex and date. After the inspection, the operator prints out the result of differential count and, upon necessity, prints out an image of the abnormal blood cell as a result of inspection.
Also, in the prior art image filing system, if a need arises for making a reference to a blood image of the past of the object of inspection which is now being subjected to counting during the differential counting work, the operator has to stop the differential counting work for a while for recalling the blood images of the past by opening a retrieval screen of the image filing system and inputting the attribute information of the object of inspection.
Further, in order to transfer the object of inspection, the operator has to transfer a stage having a slide glass mounted thereon relative to the microscope.
However, in such an inspection of blood cells, it often happens that the image which the operator wishes to file is found during the differential counting operation. According to the prior art, the differential counting work is conducted by means of a single-purpose differentiation table, and the microscopic images are taken in by operating a terminal keyboard of the image filing system. This involves separation of the operation system into two subsystems, raising a problem of poor efficiency. Moreover, in filing the image of the object of inspection, the operator has to perform additional work such as inputting an identification information of the object of inspection again on the image filing system side, although the identification information has already been inputted on the differentiation table side.
Also, if a reference is to be made to a blood image of the past of the object of inspection, the operator has to input an identification information of the object of inspection again on the image filing system side for retrieval of the data base, although the identification information has already been inputted on the differentiation table side.
Further, if a microscopic image is to be taken into a video camera, it is not possible to control the stage of the slide glass on the image filing system side because the display of the image filing system merely displays the microscopic image.